Alice Dryden

A Motorcycle Tour in France “Give us a kiss – you’re in France now!” The first words John Eggleton spoke to me were typical of the relaxed, fun way he and his wife Jeanette run Bike Normandy. From the moment I rode off the ferry and into the French sunshine, I knew I was in …

Vespa World Days 2012 Report London, summer 2012. Home to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Olympic Games…and Vespa World Days. This annual European rally has been running since 1954, with a break in the ‘70s. In 2007 the name was changed from “Eurovespa” to reflect increasing international participation and to promote the Vespa ethos worldwide. In recent years, …

Una visita al Museo Piaggio A Visit to the Piaggio Museum Unlike nearby Florence with its art, or Pisa with its tower, the industrial town of Pontedera in northwestern Italy isn’t an obvious sightseeing destination. In recent years, however, there has been an increasing influx of pilgrims — scooter pilgrims, journeying to the shrine of Vespa. Parent company …

Night Eye for Night Riders The Macna Ivy RL jacket is comfortable and functional. It has all the features you need to keep riding from autumn, through winter and into spring. When it’s bathed in the glow of headlights, the innovative Night Eye material makes the Ivy RL light up like a Christmas tree. With …

Comfort, Protection and Style Roseberry women’s jeans by Knox, the armour specialists, offer protection combined with comfort and style. And that’s everything you want from a pair of motorcycle jeans. I’ve never been a big fan of motorcycle jeans. It seems to me that they try to do two jobs and fail at both: not …

BOA System and 15-Way CE Protection The Knox Orsa gloves are cool and comfortable for summer, with all the protective features you’d expect from Knox. They’re CE certified to EN13594:2012 for everything from Design and Construction to the pH value of the leather. The certification also includes abrasion resistance; impact resistance with the Knox SPS …

On a global scale it might be overshadowed by EICMA in Milan, but for bikers in the UK, Motorcycle Live, which takes place at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre, is the big one. This year’s show ran from 28th November until 6th December; I went along on Monday November 30th to check it out. This was “Media …

Bikers’ Britain By: Simon Weir Spiral bound 208 pages 215mm x 150mm Published: 2013 by AA Publishing ISBN: 9780749573966 RRP: £12.99 The Automobile Association has been providing assistance and advice to British motorists since 1905 and is a trusted name in driving circles. RiDE, meanwhile, is a magazine held in high esteem among bikers. I …

BumBags 4 Bikers Seat Cushion Based on the zafu cushions used for meditation sessions in Zen Buddhism, the “3um3ags43ikers” seat pad (annoyingly quirky spelling and all) is made from waterproof nylon and filled with organic buckwheat. Numb bum. The enemy. The spoiler of touring holidays and Iron Butt attempts; the distracter from glorious views, and the cause …

Tucano Urbano “Calamaro” Gloves Review It is seldom the season for mesh gloves in London; mine get so little wear I’ve been using the same ones since 2005. But occasionally it is time for something a little lighter, so I gave the Tucano Urbano Calamaro a try. With their leather palm and light textile upper, they looked …

SPOT Trace Theft Alert Tracking Device The SPOT Trace is a small GPS tracking device used to track a motorcycle or scooter through a satellite network. If your bike is moved or stolen, a text message or email is sent and you can follow its progress using Google Maps. The SPOT Trace will also send …

Tucano Urbano “Dora” Women’s Motorcycle Jacket Tucano Urbano must be almost unique in that they make just as many jackets for women as for men. Sometimes they’re even complementary versions of the same design. Example: the Tucano Urbano “Mod” and “Modette” parkas of their wonderfully named “Mork” and “Mindy” quilted jackets. When selecting items for …

SPOT Gen3 GPS Tracking Device Review The SPOT Gen3 GPS is the third generation of a GPS personal tracking system and satellite messenger system. The SPOT GPS personal tracking system is designed to work with satellite-based communications. This means that the unit should be able to function virtually anywhere in the world, even in areas …

Tucano Urbano “Aviatore” Gloves Review The Tucano Urbano Aviatore gloves feature modern technology and protection with vintage looks. The good looks are matched by equally fine performance, even in rain and cold. The Aviatore gloves are 100% genuine leather and include a synthetic fur lining for that “genuine” WWI SPAD S.VII fighter pilot look. Modern …

The Visorcat Visor Cleaner The Visorcat is a motorcycle helmet visor cleaning system. It includes both a replaceable sponge and a wiper blade and a reservoir to hold cleaning fluid. The Visorcat attaches to the left hand with an adjustable nylon wrist strap. It feels awkward at first, but I quickly became used to it. …

The REV’IT! Connector High-Visibility Vest The REV’IT! Connector HV vest is one of the niftiest ideas I’ve seen in motorcycle gear for a long time. It’s a high-visibility neon yellow (EN471 certified) vest with 3M Scotchlite panels that attaches to various models of REV’IT! jackets The Connector HV vest is part of a modular system, …

The REV’IT! Levante Men’s and Women’s Mesh Jacket The Rev’It Levante textile mesh jacket is a good, solid piece of gear that means business. It’s suitable for wear in all but the most extreme weather conditions. This was a rare opportunity to review both the men’s and women’s versions of the Rev’it Levante jacket, first introduced …

Italian Scooter Print Drop-Seat Fleece “Onesie” Riding Suit Review Maxi-scooters are so comfortable that riding one can feel almost like being in bed, so why not dress appropriately? This one-piece suit from Footie Factory is soft, comfortable, and features a striking and elegant pattern of little scooters — perfect! Design and Construction First impressions were …

BMW C 650 GT vs. C 600 Sport Alice Dryden had a brief encounter with the C 650 GT and its sibling, the C 600 Sport. Both have the same engine with the same specifications, so it’s not clear why BMW calls one a 600 and the other a 650. The differences are confined to …

Rolling Through the Isles By: Ted Simon ISBN: 1408702193 ISBN: 13 9781408702192 Dimensions: 6.3 x 1.2 x 9.5 inches Publisher: Little, Brown (June 7, 2012) In 1973,Ted Simon and his Triumph Tiger set off around the world on what was to be both a physical and spiritual voyage of discovery. His adventures are chronicled in Jupiter’s …

Held Air Stream Gloves Review A rider with equipment that is comfortable, reliable and confidence-inspiring has an edge — an edge that we all need to maintain. The Held Air Stream gloves are all of the above and more. Having survived severe temperature changes, lots of moisture and sustained use on multiple motorcycles of all types, these …

Custom Motorcycle Earplugs Review Easy to put in, comfortable to wear, and I’m confident that they let the important sounds — of which there are many in urban situations — get through. webBikeWorld readers have asked many times for a review of custom-fitted earplugs. I’ve had a couple of mold kits sitting here in my …

Tucano Urbano R360/R361 Handlebar Muffs So stylish they’re liable to get stolen, the Tucano Urbano design keeps hands warm and dry without sacrificing control. Mention handlebar muffs to most riders and you’ll conjure up an image of a grubby courier on a rat bike held together with duct tape and malice. Muffs are for warmth, …

BKS Gloucester Waterproof Trousers Review By far the best-made and most comfortable motorcycle trousers I’ve ever worn — and probably the least stylish. Motorcycle trousers aren’t very exciting. Helmets, jackets and gloves give you plenty of ways to express your style and individuality, but trousers are much of a muchness and tend to go unnoticed. …

Held Kallisto Gloves Review Comfortable, attractive gloves ideal for spring and autumn, let down by materials and stitching that are quick to wear out. When summer eventually rolled round, I realised I needed a new pair of in-between gloves; something for those days when my Hein Gericke Pathan gloves (review) are too hot but it’s not warm …

CGR Bike Gear Fleece Polo Review CGR’s fleece polo is a really useful layer designed by bikers for bikers, at a great price. Have you ever spent hours trawling online or offline boutiques for an item of clothing you’ve decided will make your life complete, but doesn’t seem to exist? For me, it was a …

Keis Bodywarmer Heated Vest Review A new arrival at the budget end of the heated clothing market, the Keis X4 Bodywarmer is easy to connect, comfortable to wear, and really takes the chill off. A heated vest review in June? Why not? A cozy heated vest can be a motorcycle rider’s best friend any time …

Fine Vision Anti-Fog Visor Insert Review I’m singing in the rain with the Fine Vision anti-fog visor insert. It’s not pretty but it does the job, keeping the visor from fogging in damp conditions with minimal disruption to vision when the weather is fine. I love my BMW System 5 helmet. It’s far and away …

Hein Gericke Pathan Evo Three-Finger Gloves Review This unusual design from Hein Gericke gives you extra warmth without sacrificing feel, and it won’t break the bank. A glove for pretty much everything winter can throw at you. Is it a giant lobster? Is it Mr. Spock? No, it’s a biker in three-finger gloves! The theory behind this …

Polo “Drive” PT-P Bahiro Jacket The Bahiro jacket from German manufacturer Polo is a real all-rounder. It’s warm and waterproof for winter and vented for summer. It’s suitable for touring or commuting, and not bad-looking either. A discussion of warm, waterproof winter wear on my bike club’s mailing-list indicates the changing season as reliably as …

Daytona Lady Star GTX Women’s Motorcycle Boots Retro styling conceals modern features in this top-of-the-range touring boot. All-season, waterproof, and with a built-in height advantage that shorter riders will really appreciate. I promised myself a pair of Daytona Lady Star boots when I passed the Institute of Advanced Motorists riding test, following a glowing recommendation …

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